CHAPTER XI 



THE PEOCREATION OF GENIUS 



Many writers, from Spurzheim to Galton, have 

 deemed it possible, by means of judicious marriages 

 practised for several generations, to create a race of 

 highly gifted men. The analogy of the stud-book 

 certainly seems to favour that idea, but the feasi- 

 bility of the experiment, we believe, depends entirely 

 upon what special qualities are sought to be de- 

 veloped. That nature is progressive we know. The 

 mental capacity of the average European is now much 

 higher than that of his primitive ancestor, and no 

 limits can be set to his advancement. If, therefore, 

 progress is possible, it may obviously be hastened or 

 retarded by circumstances, and the point to be settled 

 is how advantage may best be taken of this principle. 

 Possibly it will be found that Nature's notions of 

 fitness and ours are essentially different, and that pro- 



